Regan McElfresh: A Vocal Leader For Brainerd Warriors

In sports, leadership comes in many different forms. For the Brainerd Warriors Girls Soccer team, it comes in the form of senior Regan McElfresh. Regan has been a big part of the success of the Warriors this season as a leader both on and off the field.

“Most of all, I’m a leader verbally-wise,” McElfresh said. “I tell people ‘oh, you can turn’ and I tell them on the field and in practice; kind of leading by example.”

Warriors Head Coach Grant Gmeinder says that Regan’s leadership extends beyond the play on the field.

“Regan as a leader; I think she is great at leading by example,” Gmeinder said. “If we have a kid who maybe isn’t sure how to act, it’s pretty easy to say ‘just look at Regan.'”

On the field though, Regan is having herself quite a nice season statistically. She is ranked sixth in Minnesota in goals with 23 and third in Minnesota in assists with 19. She attributes much of her success to her head coach.

“Definitely Grant helping me in the summer practicing soccer,” McElfresh said. “We literally practiced every day shooting-wise.”

Despite losing last season’s top scorer Ally Smith, now a star freshman at Bemidji State, the Warriors coaching staff is not at all surprised at the season Regan is putting together.

“We expected a big season out of Regan,” Gmeinder said. “I think she exceeded our expectations but she tends to do that a lot.”

The Warriors’ 13-2 regular season has come to close, and Regan is looking to lead the team to its first Game One section win since 2009.

“I have a little bit of nerves going on just because it could possibly be my last game ever,” McElfresh said. “I’m pretty confident that we’ll win, though, because we are so strong. Every single one of us is ready and I think we’ll make it far.”